Tuck Planche Hold

The Tuck Planche Hold is a static gymnastics hold where you balance your body horizontally above the floor with your knees tucked tight to your chest and your weight supported on straight arms. It builds total-body tension, shoulder strength and stability, and core control.

Start on your hands and knees with your hands flat on the floor, fingers spread for balance, placed directly under or slightly in front of your shoulders. Straighten your arms and press firmly through your palms. Draw your knees in toward your chest and slightly round your lower back so your body forms a tight, compact shape.

Lean your shoulders forward so they move in front of your hands. Lift your hips until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor and your feet are completely off the ground. Keep your elbows locked, your shoulder blades spread apart, and your gaze slightly forward. Hold this position without letting your hips drop or your feet touch down.

Breathe in a shallow, steady rhythm while keeping your ribs down and your core braced. To make it easier, practice leaning into the tuck planche with your hands on parallettes or low blocks, or keep your feet supported on a low box. To make it harder, slowly extend one leg at a time into an advanced tuck, or work toward a full planche progression.

Fault: elbows bend or feel unstable. Fix: keep your arms fully straight and imagine pushing the floor away from you; turn your pits forward or elbows out to keep the joint stacked.

Fault: hips sag or the lower back arches. Fix: pull your knees tighter to your chest and round your lower back slightly; aim to keep your hips level with your shoulders.

Fault: shoulders stay over the hands instead of in front. Fix: shift your shoulders forward past your palms until you feel your bodyweight balanced over your hands; maintain a straight line from wrists to hips.